Heat takes toll on Ballarat rowing, tennis, bowls

ROWING powerhouse Scotch College is amongst a host of schools to pull out of
competition at day one of the annual Wendouree Ballarat Regatta because of the
heat.

Regatta secretary Lance Deveson said about 10 Melbourne-based schools
had scratched from events today because of a heat policy, which restricted students
competing in sport when the temperature hit 40 degrees.

It has been tipped to
reach that mark in the metropolitan area today.

"Schools have this heat policy that if
it gets to 40 in Melbourne they are not allowed to be involved in any sport.
Their duty of care comes into play," Deveson said.

A number of other school crews, including those from Ballarat, followed suit later in the afternoon when temperatures passed 34 degrees on the water. This forced many late events to be called off.

Racing continues tomorrow from 8am.

Meanwhile, Buninyong and District Tennis Association senior pennant
was called off following the Country Fire Authority's declaration of a Total
Fire Ban around the state, while a wet-bulb measurement saw the cancellation of senior matches in the Mt Prospect District Tennis Association.

Premier bowls division matches are also off due
to the Geelong region abandoning all of its games on Friday.